


Enchondroma

by Indices



Category: Parahumans Series - Wildbow
Genre: Gen, Implied Relationships, M/M, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 06:36:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19969633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indices/pseuds/Indices
Summary: It’s not so much that he can’t understand it as—a lack of applicability. He can’t remember the last time he thought of anyone as a friend.





	Enchondroma

He tries to stop thinking about it, what Marquis said about it being better to be killed by an upfront enemy than betrayed by a friend. Tries but can’t, and the thought buzzes around Kenta’s mind like a gnat, follows him through the humdrum monotony of prison life for days on end. 

It’s not so much that he can’t understand it as—a lack of applicability. He can’t remember the last time he thought of anyone as a friend. 

_Not that it matters_ , Kenta thinks. It’s only a matter of time before they roll the dice again, and he plays to win. Anyhow, Marquis smiles too freely for what he is. He could at least hold the man in contempt for that. Danger is meant to be telegraphed, not tempered; there’s no point in putting on a charming front and playing the benevolent superior. Kenta’s not sure why anyone would ever buy it. Not when it’s coming from someone who can eject a ten-foot spike of bone from his arm in an instant, calcified and lethal.

It's confounding. If they were on the outside Kenta could, just possibly, respect the man's competence. If it measured up to his standards. But he would never for a moment pretend not to be disgusted by his methods.

 _Soon_ , he promises himself. He’ll strike suddenly and then it’ll be over, in the blink of an eye. Marquis will never see it coming—or perhaps he will; after all, the man suggested as much. But it won’t make a difference.

(As for the daughter... they all have to learn to make it on their own, eventually. He’ll be doing her a favor. And even if it's not a favor, what does he care? He stops the train of thought in its tracks, before he can dwell on it—for when has Kenta ever cared about the plights of pathetic, hollow-eyed, broken-down youth, if they stood in the way of his goals? There's no reason to start now. He still has his reputation to keep up, even in the confines of his own mind.)

Perhaps this is the most despicable thing: he knows he won’t keep the promise. They both do. Maybe that’s what he should really despise Marquis for. But for some reason, Kenta doesn’t feel like it.

After all, they’re both getting old, and if Brockton Bay were to fall tomorrow they’d never know it. So there’s no use in pretending otherwise as long as they’re in here.

No use in anything but waiting.

**Author's Note:**

> Just an attempt to explain the egregious characterization/lore blunders that I may be making: I haven't read through the entire serial. Consider this a dilettante's awkward attempt at dipping their toes in. 
> 
> This can be read as gen or shippy. I started out meaning to write it as the latter, but somewhere in between I started (justifiably) doubting my expertise with the source material, and deliberately kept it vague.


End file.
